TWAS Fellowships for Postdoctoral Research page 18 of 18
TWAS Fellowships for Postdoctoral Research
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Programme details
TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world – www.twas.org – is an autonomous international organization founded in Trieste, Italy, in 1983. TWAS represents the best of science in the developing world. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in the South. Since 1986, TWAS has been supporting scientists and institutions in developing countries through a wide range of programmes that focus on scientific capacity building largely through South-South cooperation.
The administration and financial operation of TWAS is undertaken by UNESCO in accordance with an agreement signed by the two organizations.
Each year, the TWAS Fellowship Programme, which operates under agreements with governments and national organizations in developing countries – and particularly with partners in Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan andThailand– offers a number of fellowships to young scientists from developing countries to carry out postdoctoral research in countries other than their own. These programme partners include:
National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brazil
The TWAS-CNPq Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than Brazil) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in the natural sciences in Brazil. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China
The TWAS-CAS Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than China) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in China. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India
The TWAS-CSIR Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than India) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in newly emerging areas in science and technology for which facilities are available in CSIR laboratories and institutes. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, India
The TWAS-DBT Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than India) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in biotechnology at key biotechnology research institutions in India. Duration: minimum of twelve months to a maximum of eighteen months.
S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, India
The TWAS-S.N. Bose Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to students from developing countries (other than India) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in the physical sciences. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), India
The TWAS-IACS Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than India) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in certain fields of natural sciences, including biological chemistry, condensed matter physics, inorganic chemistry, materials science, non conventional energy, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, polymer science, spectroscopy and theoretical physics. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
The International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Kenya
The TWAS-icipe Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than Kenya) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in the natural sciences, especially focusing on integrated control methodologies for crop and livestock insect pests and other related arthropods, and insect vectors of tropical diseases. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia
The TWAS-USM Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than Malaysia) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in one of the fields of natural sciences. Duration: minimum of twelve months to a maximum of three years.
National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT), Mexico
The TWAS-CONACYT Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to students from developing countries (other than Mexico) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in one of the fields of natural sciences. Duration: minimum six months and maximum twelve months.
National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), Pakistan
The TWAS-CEMB Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than Pakistan) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in molecular biology and molecular genetics. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), Pakistan
The TWAS-ICCBS Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than Pakistan) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in organic chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular medicine, pharmacology or physical chemistry. Duration: minimum of six months to a maximum of twelve months.
The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Thailand
The TWAS-BIOTEC Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research offers fellowships to young scientists from developing countries (other than Thailand) who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in the field of molecular biology, molecular genetics, microbiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, biotechnology, bioinformatics, or related disciplines. Duration: minimum of twelve months to a maximum of twenty-four months.
Summary of research fields covered by each programme:
Programme / Agricultural sciences / Biology / Chemistry / Earth sciences / Engineering sciences / Mathematics / Medical sciences / PhysicsCNPq, Brazil / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö
CAS, China / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö
CSIR, India / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö
DBT, India / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / - / - / Ö / Ö
SN Bose, India / - / - / Ö / - / - / Ö / - / Ö
IACS, India / - / Ö / Ö / - / Ö / Ö / - / Ö
icipe,
Kenya / Ö / Ö / Ö / - / - / - / Ö
USM, Malaysia / Ö / Ö / Ö / - / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö
CONACYT, Mexico / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö / Ö
CEMB, Pakistan / Ö / Ö / - / - / - / - / Ö / -
ICCBS, Pakistan / Ö / Ö / Ö / - / - / - / Ö / -
BIOTEC,
Thailand / Ö / Ö / Ö / - / - / - / Ö
Ö = Fellowships offered in this subject area; - = Fellowships NOT offered in this subject area.
Important notes
Applicants may apply for only one TWAS Fellowship per year. For example, applicants to the TWAS-CAS programme cannot also apply to other TWAS Fellowship programmes with other partners, including those provided through BIOTEC, CEMB, CNPq, CONACYT, CSIR, DBT, IACS, ICCBS, icipe, S.N. Bose, USM and TWAS Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training. Applicants for TWAS Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training should download the relevant application form (see www.twas.org, under 'Programmes' > ‘Exchange’, or request it from ).
General information
Please check the eligibility criteria carefully, especially the age restrictions, timing of the start of the Fellowship and deadline for the receipt of applications. See specific 'Additional information' sections for specific information regarding each programme. Remember, you can apply for only one Fellowship programme per year.
• Applicants must be regularly employed in a developing country (other than the one they intend to visit) and hold a research assignment there.
• Applicants already on site in the host country are not eligible.
• Women scientists are especially encouraged to apply.
• International travel (return economy class by the shortest route) and visa expenses will be covered by TWAS.
• Programme partners will provide a stipend to cover living expenses, in some cases including health insurance. If health insurance is not provided by the programme partner, obtaining suitable health insurance is the awardee’s own responsibility and will be at his/her own expense.
• All specific obligations, regulations, stipends etc will be thoroughly explained to successful candidates in the award letter/contract.
• Applicants must provide evidence that they will return to their home country upon completion of their Fellowships.
• Applicants must submit an official Acceptance Letter from the host institution (see sample on page 5) to TWAS (in all cases) and to the relevant programme partner organization (except in the case of S.N. Bose, India; CONACYT, Mexico and ICCBS, Pakistan) when applying, or by the deadline at the latest.
• The Fellowships do not include provisions for accompanying family members.
• Applications for part-time Fellowships will be considered ineligible.
• Incomplete/unsigned applications will not be accepted. This also applies to submissions by fax and electronic mail, which must include all enclosures and be signed (either digitally or by including a scanned signature).
• Successful applicants must not take up other assignments during the period of their Fellowships.
• Applications will be acknowledged once they have been processed.
• Successful candidates will be notified by February of the year following the application.
• TWAS shall be entitled to a repayment of all or part of any funds paid to an applicant hereunder, in the event that the applicant intentionally or negligently fails to fulfil any or all of the present conditions. The applicant agrees to pay any reasonable legal and/or collection costs incurred by TWAS to obtain the repayment.
Deadlines for receipt of applications
For all programmes, the call for applications is open from 1 March of each year until the deadlines indicated below.
30 June / 31 August / 15 SeptemberCNPq, Brazil / CAS, China / icipe, Kenya
IACS, India / CSIR, India / USM, Malaysia
CONACYT, Mexico / DBT, India / BIOTEC, Thailand
CEMB, Pakistan / S.N. BOSE, India
ICCBS, Pakistan
STEP BY STEP GUIDELINES ON HOW TO APPLY
It is important to note that applicants cannot apply for fellowships tenable in their home country, for instance an Indian applicant applying for a fellowship tenable in India will be considered ineligible. The same applies to applicants already in the host country.
In order to apply for a TWAS Fellowship, each applicant is requested to follow a few key steps that are indicated below:
1. WHICH PROGRAMME SHOULD I CHOOSE?
You should carefully read the “General information” and “Additional information” sections in these application guidelines and choose the most suitable fellowship for your research needs.
2. CHECK ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
After choosing a fellowship programme, you should verify that you are eligible and meet ALL the eligibility criteria specified in the “additional information” section of your chosen programme (e.g. age, nationality etc.).
3. CHOOSE AN ELIGIBLE HOST INSTITUTE:
Select a suitable host institution under the fellowship you have chosen. In these guidelines, under “additional information”, you will find the website addresses leading to the lists of eligible host institutes for each programme.
4. GET PRELIMINARY ACCEPTANCE:
Applying is subject to preliminary acceptance at a host institute. After choosing an eligible host institute, you must seek to obtain preliminary acceptance and an Acceptance Letter (see sample on page 5). To request an Acceptance Letter you must contact the chosen host institution via e-mail, fax or by sending a letter with your CV, research proposal and the sample copy of the Acceptance Letter. This must indicate a starting date in the year following the application, for instance if applying in 2011, the letter must indicate 2012 as the starting date.
Obtaining preliminary acceptance at an eligible host institute is the responsibility of the applicant.
For specific information on how to obtain an Acceptance Letter and who to contact in this regard, please refer to the “additional information” section of each specific fellowship programme.
Applications will not be considered or processed without the Acceptance Letter from a host institution.
5. SUBMIT THE APPLICATION:
Once the Acceptance Letter has been received, you should submit to the TWAS Fellowships Office () and to the other programme partner (in specified cases) the completed application form by e-mail (as MS Word file) together with ALL the required enclosures in one zipped (compressed) electronic file. Alternatively, applications can be submitted by fax or by post.
You are advised to apply for the Acceptance Letter well in advance so that there is sufficient time for you to collate all required documents for submission by the deadline.
No documents are accepted after the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
An official acknowledgment will be sent confirming the status of your application once it has been processed and not upon receipt.
If awarded, the fellowship must be taken up in the year following the application.
SAMPLE ACCEPTANCE LETTER FOR HOST INSTITUTIONS
It is important to note that applicants MUST already be accepted by a host institution in Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan or Thailand to be eligible for a TWAS Postdoctoral Fellowship.
How to obtain the preliminary acceptance letter:
1) Identify a suitable host institution from the lists provided (see “additional information” sections).
2) Contact your selected host institution or a potential host supervisor, providing your CV, research proposal and a copy of the sample acceptance letter (see below).
Signed acceptance letters must be sent to TWAS and the relevant programme partner (except in the case of S.N. Bose, India; CONACYT, Mexico and ICCBS, Pakistan). The head of department or programme partner’s contact person (as specified in the guidelines for each specific fellowship programme) at the HOST institution must sign the letter. Informal communication exchanged with potential host supervisors can be submitted, but it will not be considered as formal evidence of institutional acceptance.
HOST INSTITUTION'S LETTERHEADDepartment’s name
Institutional address
Tel and fax numbers
E-mail address
[Place and Date]
Dear ______[candidate’s name and surname] - ______[country of citizenship],
This is to inform you that, as a candidate for a postdoctoral fellowship under the agreement established by TWAS and ______[programme partner], you have been accepted for a ______[length of time in months please specify*] postdoctoral programme in ______[field of specialization/academic programme], at this department/institution.
If subsequently selected for a TWAS-______[programme partner] Fellowship, you should begin your studies/research in the ______[month and year following year of application] and expect to conclude by ______[month and year]. While researching at this institution, you will be under the supervision of Professor ______[name and surname of supervisor] to be contacted at ______[email address]. The topic for which you have been accepted to study at this institution is: ______.
Yours sincerely,
______
Signature and name of head of department or programme partner’s contact person (as specified in these guidelines for each specific fellowship programme)
N.B. The letter cannot be accepted without a signature.
* Please verify the minimum and maximum duration of the postdoctoral programme in these application guidelines (under the “additional information” section of each programme partner).